Solutions

Tobacco Control Treaty

Background

The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) entered into force on February 27, 2005 and is one of the most widely adopted treaties in the United Nations system.

The FCTC is a legally binding treaty that requires countries bound by the treaty — or Parties — to implement evidence-based measures to reduce tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke. There are 179 Parties to the FCTC as of July 2014. When effectively implemented, the FCTC is a powerful tool to reduce the devastating global consequences of tobacco products on health, lives and economies.

Required Actions to Reduce Tobacco Use and Exposure to Tobacco Smoke

The FCTC provides a broad framework of obligations and rights for Parties to implement various tobacco control measures. Parties to the FCTC have adopted various implementing guidelines to provide effective implementation of the treaty. The implementing guidelines to the FCTC contain principles, definitions, and key legislative elements that the Parties adopt by consensus to assist them in meeting their FCTC legal obligations. The FCTC and its implementing guidelines commit Parties to:

Protect their public health measures from the commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry;

Protect all people from tobacco smoke exposure in all indoor public places, indoor workplaces, on all means of public transport, and, as appropriate, other places;

Ban or restrict all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship;

Place large graphic health warnings on tobacco products and prohibit the use of false and misleading labeling and packaging that may imply that one tobacco product is less harmful than another;

Consider price and tax measures to reduce the demand for tobacco, which may include prohibiting or restricting sales to or importations of duty-free tobacco products;

Eliminate the illicit trade of tobacco products;

Regulate the content of tobacco products and require disclosure of ingredients;

Provide cessation assistance and treatment for tobacco dependence;

Provide for education, communication, training and public awareness measures about the harms of the tobacco products and the tactics used by the tobacco industry to undermine the public health;

Consider taking action to deal with criminal and civil liability related to tobacco harms, including compensation where appropriate; and

Take other action aimed at reducing tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke.

Progress in Protecting the Public Health

Since 2005, more than 40 countries have enacted or implemented strong smoke-free legislation across the globe, including all subnational jurisdictions in Australia and Canada.

In Latin America, 16 countries have passed strong smoke-free legislation, including Brazil, the most populous country in the world to enact 100% smoke-free legislation.

Since 2005, more than 70 countries have enacted or implemented graphic warning labels that cover at least 30% of tobacco packaging.

At least 24 countries are classified by the World Health Organization as having passed complete tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship bans.

Role of Civil Society

The Parties to the FCTC recognize that the participation of civil society is essential to achieve the objectives of the FCTC and its implementing guidelines and to counter tobacco industry efforts to stop, delay or dilute effective tobacco control measures. Now comprising more than 350 groups from more than 100 countries, the Framework Convention Alliance (FCA) plays a key role in educating policymakers and strengthening cooperation across borders. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids works with partners in the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use to help civil society organizations in low- and middle-income countries advocate for FCTC-compliant legislation.